Ahlstrom invests in new spunlace machine at Green Bay, WI, USA
Ahlstrom Corporation, a leader in high performance fiber-based materials, today announced its decision to invest in a new spunlace machine at its Green Bay, WI, USA plant. The additional capacity will primarily serve the growing North American wipes market with spunlace composites technology. It will also have the production flexibility to meet demands in other key nonwovens markets including automotive, medical and technical nonwovens.
Ahlstrom has become one of the leading suppliers to the wipes market mainly through organic growth with proprietary technology, as demonstrated in the recent start-up of a spunlace composites line at its Windsor Locks, CT, USA facility as well as through the acquisition of Green Bay Nonwovens, a US based nonwovens manufacturer. The North American wipes market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. In addition, Ahlstrom is assessing opportunities to further expand the sales and production of wipes products outside the US.
Of the investment, Claudio Ermondi, senior vice president, nonwovens said: "The addition of the new line in Green Bay will allow us to better serve our existing and potential customers, grow with them and increase our level of product innovation. The investment further widens our service and range of products and strengthens our position as a leading supplier to this market."
"This investment confirms Ahlstrom's commitment to grow in strategic nonwovens markets", said Jukka Moisio, President and CEO of Ahlstrom Corporation, "The wipes market, with its demand for innovative and sophisticated products, is indeed one of these".
The investment will begin immediately with commercial output expected in January 2007.
Contact: Martin Davis, Vice President and General Manager, Wipes, tel: +1 860 654 8300
Trade media contact: Karen Renton, Marketing and Communications Manager, Nonwovens, tel: +44 1890 818 303
Nonwovens in brief:
Ahlstrom's Nonwoven business is ranked among the top 10 nonwoven manufacturers worldwide and serves customers in the food packaging, medical, wiping, building and technical goods sectors. The Nonwovens business operates from seven principal sites across Europe and the USA and has sales offices worldwide. The Nonwovens business is part of Ahlstrom's FiberComposites segment which in 2004 had net sales of EUR 663.8 million and employed 2858 people.
Ahlstrom in brief:
Ahlstrom is the global leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of high performance fiber-based materials. Nonwovens and specialty papers, made by Ahlstrom, are used in a large variety of everyday products, e.g. in filters, wipes, flooring, labels, and tapes. The company has a strong market position in all business areas in which it operates, built upon the company's unique fiber expertise and innovative approach. Ahlstrom's 5,700 employees serve customers via sales offices and production facilities in more than 20 countries on five continents. In 2004, Ahlstrom's net sales amounted to EUR 1.6 billion. The company website is www.ahlstrom.com.